Is it worth the trouble?

I've always felt that "critical listening" was a euphemism for seeking faults and weaknesses. Do people ever engage in "critical listening" from a positive perspective? It seems to me that it is always about finding faults.
He who is looking for something to like and he who is looking for something to dislike will both search successfully.

People who change components on a regular basis get stuck with this mode...no way around it.

"To spend an entire weekend evaluating the relative sonic merits of several plating metals?"...name some names so we can laugh at them.

Dave

"Do people ever engage in "critical listening" from a positive perspective? It seems to me that it is always about finding faults."
-Macrojack

I've done both, but waaaaayyyyy more of the positive since getting Intuitive Design Summits. I reviewed them here, and what happens is that I think of something I said in the review that sounds too good to be true even to ME. So I do a "reality check" listening to them again, and always end up just smiling. It's a very good feeling.

Although I am extremely picky about sonics, I AM capable of sitting back and enjoying the music and prefer to do so instead of doing multiple "tests." Evaluating the equipment is necessary and sometimes KIND of fun, but it's a means to an end, not the main reason I listen at all. Evaluating equipment as a PRIMARY pursuit is what smart, wise and patient people like Duane and Steve, my dealers, are for.

anal retentiveness in audio is sometimes alarming
I do enjoy critically listening when I'm upgrading components - that can be fun - on material I know well

but soon enough I'll just want to dive into things
and enjoy the music

I have a friend with a record shop
he says all the audiophiles have no taste in music
sometimes I agree